Nobel Luncheon

The following remarks were delivered at a Queen's luncheon on December 9 hosted by Principal Woolf in Stockholm, Sweden, in honour of Dr. Art McDonald's Nobel Prize win.

Where: The Grand Hotel, Stockholm, SwedenWhen: December 9, 2015

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Good afternoon, everyone.

Thank you all for being here.

I’d like to offer a warm welcome to all of our guests – from Canada, Sweden and beyond.

Once again, thank you to Ambassador Kenneth Macartney for hosting the wonderful reception yesterday afternoon. And for being such a great host in general.

It is a pleasure to be here in Stockholm – accompanying my colleague Dr. Art McDonald on his tour to accept the Nobel Prize in physics.

Today, Queen’s is delighted to have the chance to bring together Dr. McDonald’s collaborators, friends and family, Queen’s alumni, as well as many distinguished guests.

Again, thank you all for being here.

We are going to go straight to lunch, and then over dessert and coffee, I will return to say a few more words. Dr. McDonald will also say a few words at that point.

Enjoy.

Hello again everyone.

I trust you enjoyed your meal. Please continue to enjoy your dessert and tea and coffee.

As anticipated, this has been a wonderful opportunity to visit and bring together a diverse but united group.

At Queen’s, we are very proud of Dr. McDonald – for his Nobel Prize, of course, but also for the many other achievements and contributions he has made over his lengthy career.

Dr. McDonald is a dedicated scientist, a gifted teacher, and a true trailblazer.

The very large and complex experiment he led at the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory required extreme patience, commitment and perseverance. And likely a dose of good humour.

He remained undaunted, extending himself to the project, to the large team of scientists, and he led with gentle confidence and genuine concern for all involved.

His leadership is certainly something to be proud of. As well as his focus on making the experiment a strong collaborative project – which needed to be supported from a variety of angles, and a variety of individuals – from federal and provincial governments, industry, and academics.

And indeed, Dr. McDonald’s project was one that, inevitably, would have significant global scope and impact.

I believe Dr. McDonald epitomizes the Queen’s experience and approach.

Our university prides itself on being an institution that focuses on giving students a transformative learning experience, coupled with an unwavering commitment to research excellence.

We are also committed to creating strong relationships with international partners, and to giving students as many international opportunities as possible.

As Queen’s chief administrator, I can talk about these things endlessly.

But without people like Dr. McDonald, there is no substance.

Dr. McDonald, in all his endeavours, walks the talk.

He makes Queen’s a place where the best of the best want to be.

And indeed, his Nobel win and his years of research help cement Queen’s reputation both abroad and at home, where he is, without a doubt, inspiring the next generation of great thinkers.

With that, I’d like to now pass the stage over to Dr. McDonald himself.